Dell 8400: Processor Vs. Ram

I plan on purchasing a Dell 8400 later today. I'm trying to make the
final decision between these options. I consider myself a power user
and plan on doing some video editing/DVD burning with this system.

I am trying to choose between these three options...

(1) 3.0 processor / 2 gig of 400 mhz Ram
(2) 3.4 processor / 1 gig of 400 mhz Ram
(3) 3.0 processor / 1 gig of 400 mhz Ram

I'm trying to decide if the jump from 1 gig to 2 gig of Ram is worth
it. Since I'll be doing video editing/burning I don't want to drop any
frames in processing. Some argue that the difference between 1 gig and
2 gig of Ram you will never notice. That's hard for me to believe so I
wanted to get some opinions before I made my purchase.

On the other hand, I don't know if the extra .4 in processor speed
would be more noticeable than the extra Ram. With the 20% off coupon,
the price difference between 2 gig of Ram and a 3.4 processor is about
the same.

Or I could just save a few dollars in the process and go with the
basic 3.0 process and 1 gig of Ram.

Please let me know what option you would go with, especially
considering I'm a power user and plan to do a lot of DVD burning with
this system.

-Tracy

I use a Dimension 2400 with a P4-2.8 and 640MB ram to do video
editing/rendering.

Works flawlessly without dropping a frame.

1GB is plenty.
3.0 to 3.4 is small and you won't notice it --- much.

Don't forget the hard drive. Absolutely critical. Better to have two, so
you can have a source and a destination. Much faster that way.

2GB is wasted.

Tom
"Tracy" wrote in message
om...
I plan on purchasing a Dell 8400 later today. I'm trying to make the
final decision between these options. I consider myself a power user
and plan on doing some video editing/DVD burning with this system.

I am trying to choose between these three options...

(1) 3.0 processor / 2 gig of 400 mhz Ram
(2) 3.4 processor / 1 gig of 400 mhz Ram
(3) 3.0 processor / 1 gig of 400 mhz Ram

I'm trying to decide if the jump from 1 gig to 2 gig of Ram is worth
it. Since I'll be doing video editing/burning I don't want to drop any
frames in processing. Some argue that the difference between 1 gig and
2 gig of Ram you will never notice. That's hard for me to believe so I
wanted to get some opinions before I made my purchase.

On the other hand, I don't know if the extra .4 in processor speed
would be more noticeable than the extra Ram. With the 20% off coupon,
the price difference between 2 gig of Ram and a 3.4 processor is about
the same.

Or I could just save a few dollars in the process and go with the
basic 3.0 process and 1 gig of Ram.

Please let me know what option you would go with, especially
considering I'm a power user and plan to do a lot of DVD burning with
this system.

-Tracy

Don't forget the hard drive. Absolutely critical. Better to have two, so
you can have a source and a destination. Much faster that way.

I'm thinking about getting a RAID 0. Is the additional performance
worth the "double risk" of loosing both drives?

-Tracy

Not to me. A decent 7200rpm drive is enough.

Tom
"Tracy" wrote in message
om...
Don't forget the hard drive. Absolutely critical. Better to have two,
so
you can have a source and a destination. Much faster that way.

I'm thinking about getting a RAID 0. Is the additional performance
worth the "double risk" of loosing both drives?

-Tracy

Whichever amount of RAM you decide to go with, I'd compare the cost of
buying it from Dell and the cost of buying it from
www.crucial.com
Dell usually charges and arm and a leg for RAM.

Daniel

(Tracy) wrote in message . com...
I plan on purchasing a Dell 8400 later today. I'm trying to make the
final decision between these options. I consider myself a power user
and plan on doing some video editing/DVD burning with this system.

I am trying to choose between these three options...

(1) 3.0 processor / 2 gig of 400 mhz Ram
(2) 3.4 processor / 1 gig of 400 mhz Ram
(3) 3.0 processor / 1 gig of 400 mhz Ram

I'm trying to decide if the jump from 1 gig to 2 gig of Ram is worth
it. Since I'll be doing video editing/burning I don't want to drop any
frames in processing. Some argue that the difference between 1 gig and
2 gig of Ram you will never notice. That's hard for me to believe so I
wanted to get some opinions before I made my purchase.

On the other hand, I don't know if the extra .4 in processor speed
would be more noticeable than the extra Ram. With the 20% off coupon,
the price difference between 2 gig of Ram and a 3.4 processor is about
the same.

Or I could just save a few dollars in the process and go with the
basic 3.0 process and 1 gig of Ram.

Please let me know what option you would go with, especially
considering I'm a power user and plan to do a lot of DVD burning with
this system.

-Tracy

better check again. Memory for the 8400 at the time of purchase is
competitively priced. Much less expensive than Crucial.

"daniel" wrote in message
om...
Whichever amount of RAM you decide to go with, I'd compare the cost of
buying it from Dell and the cost of buying it from
www.crucial.com
Dell usually charges and arm and a leg for RAM.

Daniel

(Tracy) wrote in message
. com...
I plan on purchasing a Dell 8400 later today. I'm trying to make the
final decision between these options. I consider myself a power user
and plan on doing some video editing/DVD burning with this system.

I am trying to choose between these three options...

(1) 3.0 processor / 2 gig of 400 mhz Ram
(2) 3.4 processor / 1 gig of 400 mhz Ram
(3) 3.0 processor / 1 gig of 400 mhz Ram

I'm trying to decide if the jump from 1 gig to 2 gig of Ram is worth
it. Since I'll be doing video editing/burning I don't want to drop any
frames in processing. Some argue that the difference between 1 gig and
2 gig of Ram you will never notice. That's hard for me to believe so I
wanted to get some opinions before I made my purchase.

On the other hand, I don't know if the extra .4 in processor speed
would be more noticeable than the extra Ram. With the 20% off coupon,
the price difference between 2 gig of Ram and a 3.4 processor is about
the same.

Or I could just save a few dollars in the process and go with the
basic 3.0 process and 1 gig of Ram.

Please let me know what option you would go with, especially
considering I'm a power user and plan to do a lot of DVD burning with
this system.

-Tracy

"Tracy" wrote in message
om...
Don't forget the hard drive. Absolutely critical. Better to have two, so
you can have a source and a destination. Much faster that way.

I'm thinking about getting a RAID 0. Is the additional performance
worth the "double risk" of loosing both drives?

-Tracy


No. Absolutely not.

I use Pinnacle Studio Pro 9.0 and encode video from a DV camcorder using the
following:

8300 2.6 P4
1.5 gigabytes of ram
2 - 250 gig IDE drive
XP Pro

Haven't lost a frame...

Dave

"WSZsr" wrote in message
m...
better check again. Memory for the 8400 at the time of purchase is
competitively priced. Much less expensive than Crucial.

"daniel" wrote in message
om...
Whichever amount of RAM you decide to go with, I'd compare the cost of
buying it from Dell and the cost of buying it from
www.crucial.com
Dell usually charges and arm and a leg for RAM.

Daniel

(Tracy) wrote in message
. com...
I plan on purchasing a Dell 8400 later today. I'm trying to make the
final decision between these options. I consider myself a power user
and plan on doing some video editing/DVD burning with this system.

I am trying to choose between these three options...

(1) 3.0 processor / 2 gig of 400 mhz Ram
(2) 3.4 processor / 1 gig of 400 mhz Ram
(3) 3.0 processor / 1 gig of 400 mhz Ram

I'm trying to decide if the jump from 1 gig to 2 gig of Ram is worth
it. Since I'll be doing video editing/burning I don't want to drop any
frames in processing. Some argue that the difference between 1 gig and
2 gig of Ram you will never notice. That's hard for me to believe so I
wanted to get some opinions before I made my purchase.

On the other hand, I don't know if the extra .4 in processor speed
would be more noticeable than the extra Ram. With the 20% off coupon,
the price difference between 2 gig of Ram and a 3.4 processor is about
the same.

Or I could just save a few dollars in the process and go with the
basic 3.0 process and 1 gig of Ram.

Please let me know what option you would go with, especially
considering I'm a power user and plan to do a lot of DVD burning with
this system.

-Tracy